Why did Tomas Jefferson send Lewis and Clark on an expedition?

Answer 1

There were several main purposes:
1. to map out the newly acquire Louisiana territory
2. to establish peaceful relations with the Native American Indians
3. to find a northwest passage
4. to make scientific discoveries

Answer 2

Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark on an expedition with the express mission of exploring the tributaries of the Missouri river
to see if they could find a navigable route to the Pacific ocean.
It was Jefferson's belief that there was enough land between the then United States and the Pacific ocean to allow habitation for thousands of generations and finding this water route was to be the first step in settling it.


I am attaching a link which has Jefferson's speech and orders to Lewis and Clark and all sorts of information about the expedition.

Answer 3

To find the so-called "Northwest Passage"

Thomas Jefferson felt sure that there was a continuous waterway from the Hudson Bay to the Pacific Ocean, so he sent Lewis and Clark to explore and find this route. If you take a look at where Lewis and Clark explored, you will see it is along the St. Lawrence River and other waterways of the northern United States. This was part of their exploration of trying to find the great "Northwest Passage" which, of course, they found out does not exist.

(And yes, as the other answerers have said, exploring and mapping the Louisiana Purchase was also part of their duties, but the Northwest Passage search was a biggie.)

Answer 4

also, since the land did not exactly meet the needs for expansion during that time, the government decided to push out the Indians from the NW area (Ohio area) into this part of the land that was called the Great Desert (not sure on the name exactly, but it was something Desert). Now the whites would settle in the territory where the Indians used to live.

i don't think this is relevant to your question, but it was one of the results of the exploration in the west at that time.

Answer 5

To explore and map the newly acquired land of the Louisiana Purchase

Answer 6

The government needed maps and surveys of the Western territories.

Answer 7

Weel it was right after the Louisiana Purchase and they didn't know much about all the new land so he sent them out to explore it and map it.

Answer 8

properly, Jefferson who became the president on the time had offered each and every of the land west of the Mississippi River that the French had owned. The French bought by way of fact Napoleon needed money to proceed his conflict in Europe. besides, quite a few bones were got here across, and Jefferson became fascinated by them. The bones have been later regarded as dinosaur bones. besides so he despatched his secretary the two Lewis or Clark I forgot which to look for the animal who the bones belonged to. Plus he needed to confirm how lots land he had won subsequently the Lewis and Clark holiday

Answer 9

He wanted them to explore his newly purchased territory, the Louisiana Purchase.